By Katie Davis S egway creator, Dean Kamen’s LUKE (Life Under Kinetic Evolution) prosthetic arm has been a long time in coming since it started in development for ten years ago as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) looked for innovative approaches for a whole new generation of prosthetics for future amputees. DEKA Research, a company run by Kamen, started drawing up designs for a totally new breed of prosthet- ic. Kamen’s new arm was tested by nearly 100 amputees and used for over 10,000 hours before it received FDA approval two years ago. The company stated, “The DEKA Arm System may allow some people to perform more complex tasks than they can with current prosthe- sis, in a way that more closely resembles the natural motion of the arm.” However, its most impressive feature may be its ability to reach and scratch your back in a pickle. Mobius Bionics has announced that it will offer the LUKE arm sometime in late 2016 and that this prosthesis will be available in different configurations to be compat- ible with people who have shoulder-level amputations. The arm is also strong enough to lift a bag of grocer- ies and allow the user to hold a glass of water as you would with non- prosthetic arm and hand. Users are given a sense of how firm they’re grasping something thanks to the built-in sensors controlled from input devices like EMG elec- trodes and pressure switches. The user will also be able to operate the LUKE via wireless IMUs (Inertial Measurement Units) that are worn inside the user’s shoes. Mobius Bionics say that the clinical team and the client “will work together to develop the input configuration that best meets the client’s needs.” The LUKE has made significant improve- ments in terms of flexibility and practical uses, as its development has been pushed to help not only war veterans who lost limbs, but also civilians who have lost limbs in accidents.
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DECEMBER 2016 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS
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